Cracking Down on Organized Retail Crime with AKTEK iS

In the fast-paced world of U.S. retail, one leading retailer chain found itself in a costly battle against organized retail crime (ORC). Theft incidents were rising, profits were shrinking, and traditional security measures were proving ineffective. In search of a solution to help them address this issue, the retailer turned to AKTEK Integrated Services (iS), a specialized investigation and research support service designed to provide intelligence-driven research support for complex investigations. The goal? To uncover hidden patterns, pinpoint hotspots, and expose the organized networks fueling these thefts. Here’s how we did it—and what we found.

The Data Dive Begins

The retailer had data from over 5,000 theft incidents across over 250 store locations spanning 30 states for three years. However, incident data alone wouldn’t be enough to unearth organized crime patterns.

To go deeper, AKTEK iS leveraged privacy-compliant geolocation intelligence —sourced from AKTEK iQ’s Intelligence Feeds suite—analyzing anonymous smartphone signals detected within a one-mile radius of each store, recorded within a four-hour window surrounding each crime. This enabled the service to detect over 100 million data points from 50 million unique devices.

Using AKTEK iO, our intelligence management software, we captured, analyzed, and visualized all of this data to identify actionable trends and insights.

The mission was clear: transform the retailer’s approach from reactive loss management to proactive crime prevention. AKTEK iS identified devices that repeatedly appeared at multiple stores during theft incidents.

After a thorough analysis, the findings were remarkable:

• 17,031 devices (0.034% of all observed) exhibited recurring presence across three or more store locations, aligning with reported thefts.

• 446 high-risk devices surfaced in five or more store locations during theft events, revealing patterns that suggested coordinated activity.

Tracing the Hotspots: California's Clusters

With a significant concentration of incidents in California, AKTEK iS' team zoomed in on the state to identify secondary locations where these recurring devices were converging—potential staging areas for stolen goods.

Two locations quickly surfaced: "Garcia Market" on Broadway Place and “The Makeup Store”  on Whittier Blvd, both in Los Angeles. Each location revealed a surprising concentration of devices tied to theft incidents across different stores.

• Garcia Market: 7 devices had appeared three or more times near stores during theft incidents.
• The Makeup Store: 21 devices exhibited suspicious recurrence, with some visiting on as many as 15 separate days in 2023, overlapping with multiple recorded theft times.

Significantly, these findings were validated by historical raid reports at these locations, where law enforcement recovered stolen goods.

By correlating device patterns with these known hotspots, AKTEK highlighted these locations' critical role in facilitating ORC activities.

Expanding the Investigation: The Criminal Network Revealed

Taking the analysis further, AKTEK iS detected a web of connections between devices across multiple locations:

• 16 devices linked to The Makeup Store also appeared at Garcia Market, suggesting shared networks or coordinated movements.

• A key device led to another location: Storage For Less in Rosamond, CA, likely a holding space for stolen merchandise.

This broader view of device movements gave the retailer actionable intelligence. AKTEK recommended monitoring these secondary locations closely, collaborating with law enforcement on high-theft areas, and adjusting in-store security based on device movement trends. 

The Future of ORC Prevention: Towards a Stronger Security Strategy

By illuminating previously invisible ORC networks, AKTEK iS is empowering retailers to stay ahead of criminals, protect assets, and safeguard the retail experience. However, identifying threats is only part of the solution.

To truly stay ahead of ORC, organizations must not only investigate past incidents but also anticipate future threats. This is where AKTEK iQ’s Threat Detection and Anticipation Solution comes in. Powered by advanced intelligence feeds, this solution:

• Identifies abnormal patterns and suspicious activity before incidents occur.

• Leverages geolocation intelligence and behavioral analysis to detect potential risks.

• Enables proactive measures to mitigate threats and enhance situational awareness.

By integrating Threat Detection and Anticipation Solutions with protective intelligence, organizations can fortify their ORC prevention strategies, staying ahead of emerging threats and ensuring a safer retail environment.

With every new insight, the fight against organized retail crime grows more formidable—and the future of retail security becomes smarter, sharper, and more proactive.

Learn more about how AKTEK iS can support your strategic investigations.